NRA Answer to School Shootings--- A George Zimmerman in Every School

It's hard to decide what was the most pitiful part of the NRA press conference this morning. The blaming of everything but guns for the violence, ignoring completely mass shootings that have occurred outside of schools (Movie theaters, shopping malls, public political gatherings), the blaming of videogames and movies? (they seem quite willing to suggest plenty of limits of first amendment in order to deflect attention from the second.). Perhaps it was the defiant "Of course, it isn't US" attitude..

What was most troubling, however, is their proposed solution. Forget for the moment that their plan essentially tries to put in place protections from the very problem they are enabling with their "no gun restrictions--at all-- ever" stance. What's truly frightening is their notion that somehow "(armed) local volunteers serving in their own communities" patrolling the schools are somehow a solution to the problem.

HUTCHINSON: The second point I want to make is that this will be a program that does not depend on massive funding from local authorities or the federal government. Instead, it will make use of local volunteers serving in their own communities....Whether they’re retired police, retired military, or rescue personnel, I think there are people in every community in this country who would be happy to serve if only someone asked them and gave them the training and certifications to do so.

Really? We want the 132,000 elementary, middle and high schools patrolled by Hero wanna-bees like George Zimmerman? And that will make everyone safer?

Trained, experienced policemen whose full-time job it is to deal with lethal weaponry, undergo continual training and practice and are trained at making split second life or death decisions say how incredibly difficult it is to be in the middle of a situation. Even the best trained officers make mistakes. Yet we are to believe that citizen volunteers are the solution. I don't doubt these individuals would have the best of intentions, but the thought of such armed individuals roaming the halls of our schools should make us all shudder.

Here in Seattle in the past year, 3 young children were killed in separate incidents when otherwise thoughtful parents left their loaded guns in their cars "just for a moment"-- One of the parents was an active, off-duty police officer. Accidents happen, and with guns, the smallest lapse can have lethal consequences.

Armed volunteers in our schools to "make us safer and protect our freedoms?"